Sprinkler



Nov. 6, 1951 M. R. BROCK SPRINKLER Filed sept. 7, 194s Patented Nov. 6, 1951 The"presentnvention relates to sprinkling apparatus and more particularlyto apparatus for incorporating "fluid orV lfluid Vsoluble chemicals such as fertilizer, insect or Weed=killer or'the like in the fluid spray'of thesprinkler.v

Theuse of fluid or water vsolublefor'v'vatersus- Apendedfertilizers'vveed killers, insect-'killers and thelike Vhave'gone into Widespread use -but .the application of 'these-materials presents certain practical difficulties; YHe'retofore these materials havebeen applied byseparate pumps or the like and pumps of any-substantial-capa'cityfbecome `so heavyv and involve Vso many: other 'difficulties increase the use of these materialsfand would enable householders and others.- to .'have-better lawns and gardens with a minimumlof unpleasant labor.

Oneof the objects of `thepi'esenbinvention-.is to providea simple andV eflicientapparatus dor incorporatingr iiuid. spray materials the: stream. of .a

sprinkler. t

Another object is tolprovide apparatus yfoihmixing .fluid spray-materials; withthewstream of a sprinkler and keeping-thewspraymaterials agitated-during use. l

A further object 4is to provide:apparatus-forintroducing fluid spray f materials-,into .the.stream of a sprinkler in which the spray.material s.. can not settle in the pipes of thesprinkler.

These and other objects andA advantages reside in certain novel features .of construction, arrangement and combination of parts as .will hereinafter be more fully set-forth .andgpointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a verticalsection of one embodimentof Amy invention with v.parts shown ein elevation.

Figure 2 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical section similar to Figure v.1 showingthe aspirator.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section .of .a modification of my. invention.

Figure 4 is an elevation-.of .a nozzle with .parts broken.away... to show internal ,structure one will be described.

"tionras applied to a rotary'head lawn sprinkler having a base I 0 through which a conduit-II extends from the edge to the center. A suitable fitting I2 is secured to the base II) adjacent the edge for'connection with a hose or pipe I3.

A pipe I4 connected to the conduit II extends vertically upward from the center of the base. I0 and a tubular spindle i5 is threaded onthe'top of the pipe I4. `The spindle I5 has a projectling `shoulder I6 andV `a cap I1 extends down'- wardly over the spindle I5 and has an inward shoulder I8 which rests on `the top of the shoulderyl6 `Thelower end of the'cap-I1 is threaded.to receive a sleeve I9 which engages the lower Vsurface of ytheshoulder I6. The 'clearances betweenshoul'ders`I6and I8, sleeve I9 and shoulder I6 and sleeve I9 and spindle I5 are such that the cap l1 and sleeve I9 are freely rotatable on the spindle I5 but are not removable therefrom without unscrewing thesleeve I9 from thecap I1.

A hollow container 25 is iixedV to the cap v I1,

preferably by soldering, welding or the like so that there is a fluid-tight jont between the `container 25fand the" cap I1.

Thecap. I1 is formed with a space orchamber 26 abovethe openupper end of the spindle I5 `and openings'21 extend laterally through the cap I1 into the `chamber 26. My improved discharge andmixing device is secured in each opening 26and vsince these devices are identicalfonly Each discharge and mixing device consistsof a discharge 'pipe 33 4threaded into Athe cap I1 in communication with an.opening 21. Each pipe `3I1.extends radially outward vfrom the cap' I1 and an .aspirator3l is secured at the outer end of each pipe 30 by a suitable fitting 32.v The end "of the aspirator 3I extends through an opening 33 .inj'the'wall of the.V container 25 and is provided the pipe 31 is provided with a ball check 39 and 'a pet cock 40. .'The pipe 31 extends vvdownward toward thebottom and outside wallof theconparticlesfrom entering the pipe.

Th'ec'ontainer 25 is provided with'a lid or cover havinga handleAE secured thereto'byjscrews the drawing Iha've illustrated mydnven-,tlf'r `bo1ts""41` "A suitablev air vent'48 is formedfn the lid or cover 45 and I prefer to control the ow of air through this vent 48 by a suitable pet cock 49.

In operation, the uid to be incorporated in the Water spray is placed in the container 25. This fluid may be a fertilizer, weed killer, bug killer or other spray material and the term fluid includes fluid materials and solutions or suspensions of solid materials in fluid. Many fertilizers and weed or insect sprays are water soluble and with such materials a strong water solution would be placed in the container 25.

The nozzles 34 are set at an angle so that theV stream issuing from one or more of the nozzles has a tangential component sufficient to rotate the container 25 and cap I1 on the spindle I5.

pipe 31 and the fluid mixes with the water soA that plants may be sprayed with proper chemicals at the same time they are watered. As the container 25 rotates the fluid tends to move outward toward the Wall of the container 25 by centrifugal force and the intake end of the pipe 31 is preferably positioned so that this centrifugal force tends to aid the aspirator in forcing fluid up the pipe 31 toward the aspirator.

The relative proportion of fluid to water in the spray may be controlled by the pet cock 40 which limits the amount of fluid passing through the pipe 31 to the aspirator 3l. The relative proportion of fluid to water in the spray may also be controlled by the pet cock 49 which limits the entry of air into the container 25. Control by this pet cock 49 is not as effective or critical as control by the pet cock 40 but pet cock 49 can be used for rough control or to stop the flow of fluid through the pipe 31.

When the pet cock 49 is partially or wholly closed, withdrawal of fluid from the container 25 by the aspirator 3I causes a partial vacuum in lthe container 25 and the ball check 39 prevents water passing through the aspirator 3| from being drawn into the container 25 Where it would dilute the fluid.

Since the whole container 25 containing thef fluid is rotated during the time that water from the hose I3 is passing through the apparatus and being discharged from the nozzles V34, the fluid within the container 25 is kept constantly agif through the openings 516 in the lid or cover 51.'

Suction pipes 58 extend from the aspirators 54 downward toward the bottom of the container 25. A ball check valve not shown and a pet cock 59 are provided in the suction pipe 58 as in theembodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the cover 51 and discharge aspirator and intake units are vremoved by turning the cover 51 relative to the container 25 and cap 50 until the Y connection 52 is unscrewed from the opening 5I in cap 5I).`

The cover 5I carrying the discharge, Vaspirator and intake units may then be removed and fluid or solid material placed in the container 25. -The container 25 may then be illled withY the proper 2,573,687 'j Aj Y Y f j sary to place an aspirator and fluid suction pipe in each water discharge pipe. The aspirator and vfluid suction pipe may be used in only one water discharge pipe and the other water discharge pipe or pipes may be ordinary pipes discharging plainwater. It is also apparent that the various controls such as ball check 39, pet cock 40 and pet cock 49 may be omitted. I prefer to employ these controls and more accurate spraying is possible with them butmy apparatus will func- ,tion in the same manner if they are omitted.

It is also apparent that when the fluid intake is cut off by closing pet cocks 40 or 49 or both, my apparatus functions as an ordinary sprinkler.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I am able to attain the objects of my invention and provide a simple, efficient, effective apparatus for applying chemical fertilizers, weed or insect killers together with a water spray.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therfore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for spraying water soluble materials comprising a substantially vertical sta- `tionary hollow spindle having a iiuid discharge port at its upper end, a hollow container for holding said material rotatably mounted on said spindle, a fluid discharge tube carried by said container, means for rotatably connecting said tube to said port, andan aspirator having a suction pipe in said tube, said pipe extending toward the bottom of said container.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a discharge nozzle on said pipe outside said container, said nozzle being inclined at an angle to the axis of rotation of said container so that the reaction `of fluid discharged from said nozzle tends to rotate Said container.

3. Sprinkling apparatus comprising a substantially vertical hollow spindle having an exhaust port adjacent its upper end, means spaced from said upper end for connecting said spindle to a source of Water under pressure, a cap rotatably mounted on the upper end of said spindle and having an opening therethrough communicating with said port, a container adapted to hold fluid to be mixed with the water spray, means for securing said container to said cap, a cover for said container, an exhaust pipe carried by said cover, means for securing said exhaust pipe to said cap at said opening, an aspirator in said pipe having a suction tube, said suction tube extending toward the bottom Aof said container.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 including a discharge nozzle on said pipe outside said container, said nozzle being inclined atan angle to the axis of rotationl of said container so that the reaction of fluid discharged from said nozzle tends to rotate said container.

5. Sprinkling apparatus comprising a substantially hollow spindle having an exhaustl port adjacent its upper end, a head rotatably mounted on the upper end of said spindle, said head having an opening therethrough communicating with said port, a fluid discharge tube carried by said head, a fluid container` carried by said head, an aspirator in said tube and a pipe extending from said aspirator toward the bottom of said container.

6. sprinkling apparatus comprising a substantially vertical stationary hollow spindle having a uid discharge port vat its upper end, a hollow member rotatably mounted on said spindle, a plurality of tubes projecting laterally from said member and disposed symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation of said member, said tubes 6 being in communication .with said opening* through said member, a discharge nozzle at the outer end of each tube, an aspirator in one of said tubes, a uid container carried by said member and a pipe extending from said aspirator toward the bottom of said container.

MYRON R. BROCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 560,922 Pearson May 26, 1896 v1,202,787 Bradshaw Oct. 31, 1916 1,571,950 Humphrey Feb. 9, 1926 1,847,406 McArdle Mar. 1, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Austria Apr. 25, 1905 

